Wheel attachment



March 22, 1927.

J. V. LAUGHLAND WHEEL ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JAMES VKNT LAUGHLAND.

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ATTORNQY.

March 22', 1927.

J. v. LAUGHLAND WHEEL ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1926 Fig. at.

JAMES VINT LAUGHLAND. v mvnmoa mromcys.

Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT A OFFICE.

WHEEL ATTACHMENT.

Application filed February 9, 1926- Serial n. 87,149.

This invention relatesto attachments for the driving wheels of self propelled vehicles,

the attachments being more particularly applicable to the wheels of motor cars. v

The invention has for its object. to provide an attachment which may be readily attached to the driving wheels of an existing vehicle and which in case of emergency, such as when entering deep snow or mud, will be automatically displaced to increase the tractive effect of the driving wheels and also preventor reduce. risk of skidding.

According to the invention a series of traction assisting members which normallypresent a substantially circular outer surface are pivotally mounted and so shaped and arranged that pivotal movement of any one of the members automatically causes a similar movement of all the other members, whereupon the members present a serrated outer surface which reduces the slipping of the driving Wheels.

The invention consists in the arrangement and combination ofparts described hereinafter and more particularly pointed out 1n the appended claims. I.

Referring now to the accompanying draw-. ings which illustrate, by way of example, one convenient embodiment of the invention: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation with certain portions indicated in chain dotted lines so as to expose other portions,

Figure 2 is a section substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section on line 4t l of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 8, and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation indicating the parts in their active position.

In the drawings the attachment is shown applied to an automobile wheel comprising a hub 1, spokes 2, rim 3 and tire 4. V The invention comprises a plurality of members 5 thereinto a pair of trunnions 6, one on each side of the foot. The trunnions 6 are mounted in slots in. the walls 7 of a bracket. The inner wall 7 is connected by a web 8 and a substantially horizontal portion 9 110 a flat vertical part 10. The vertical part 10 of the foot supporting bracket is secured to a ring 11 by means of'bolts 12 which extend through holes 'in the parts 10 and through holes 13 in the ring 11, see Figure 1,,or the brackets may be formed integrally with the ringll or permanently riveted thereto.

Resting on the trunnions6 and vertically slidable with them are bearing blocks 14 and compression springs 15 are interposed between the blocks 14 and the inner ends of the slots in which the blocks are mounted. f Relatively light tension springs 16 connect each foot on either side to its supporting bracket, and these springs 16 therefore tend to maintain the feet in the normal positions as indicated in Figure 1.

The means illustrated for attaching the ring 11 to the automobile wheel comprise radially disposedchannels 17 which are secured to the ring, for example by rivets 18. A channel 17 may, if desired, be provided for each'spoke 2, but in Figure 1 only three pairs of channels are shown, these pairs of channels being arranged toengage pairsof adjoining spokes at equal angularintervals round the wheel. Angular bars 19 are adapted at their ends to close the open sides v of the channels 17 and at middle portions to be secured to thering 11 as by means 0 bolts 20,- see particularly Figure 2.

It will be noticed from Figure 1 that the outermost surfaces of the feet are of arcuate shape, the centre of the arc beingdesigned to be substantially coincident with the centre of the wheel to which the invention is to be attached. The attachment is so designed that when the automobile is travelling on hard ground (as in Figures 1 to 5) the outermost surface of the feet form a continuous cylindrical surface 21 which, at its lowermost point, is spaced a short distance from the ground. As soon as the automobile wheels enter into deepsnow or mud, the level of which is indicated by line 22 in Figure 6, the tire 4 slips, but the lowermost feet 5 are retarded and thereby caused to swing on 7 their trunnions 6 in the opposite direction to the Wheel,

(see arrows in Figure 6). The feet are formed with outwardly diverging surfaces 23 and parallel surfaces 24, the latter having secured to them cushioning. means such as compression springs 25. V] hen the lowermost foot is caused to swing by engagement with the snow or mud, the leading edge or toe of each foot rides up the adjacent inclined surface 23 of the foot in front of it and consequently all the feet are caused to swing simultaneously on their respective trunnions into the cated in Figure 6. 4 I

The rear inclined surfaces 23 of the feet are then in a substantially radial position and are/able to engage the snow or mud position indi and thereby prevent slipping or skidding of the automobile wheel. By the time the lowermost foot has moved back out of the snow or mud the next foot in advance of it 7 wheels and prevent skidding .andslipping.

The rocking of the feet 5 on their trunnions 6 is limited and cushioned by the s rings since, towards the end of the swinging movement, the one spring 25 of each foot is compressed by coming into engagement with an inclined surf-ace 26 of one adj ace'nt foot, while the other spring 25 of each foot is compressed by entering into contact with the adjacent inclined surface 23 of the other adjoining foot. As the snow'o'r mud becomes less deep the tension springs 16 will pull the feet ba'cl'z towards'their normal position, and when the automobile aga-in'ent'ers onto a hards'u'rface the normal po itions of the feet will be reestablished as shown in Figure 1. The springs 16 are preferably only just strong enough to h'oi'd thefeet in their normal radialposition and 'do 'not 'oii er any very "great re'slstance to rocking of the feet as soon as they are engaged by the snow or soft ground. It will be understood that movement back to normal positionwill be assisted by centrifugal action. The arcuate surfaces 21 of 'thefeet' may be formed with transverse serrations, if desired, gas illu's trated in Figure l to facilitate the commencement of the rocking of the feet as soon as the feet touch the snow or mud.

If the 'autoinobilegis "travelling in a reverse direction the emergency feet can come into action in a manner similar to that already describechbut in that event,of course, the lowermost foot will swing to the'left in Figure 6 and all the other feet Will'move in the opposite direction to that shown.

Should the wheel pass over a stone or other irregularity while travelling on the road surface, the feet may ride over the stone by risingan-d causing the trunnions 6 and bearing blocks 14 to slide up in their slots against the action of the sprmgs 15. A certain amount of lateral play may also be permitted between the feet and the bearing blocks 14: so as to permit the feet to yield to' some extent laterally, ifthey encounter a side blow or thrust, or if the automobile should tend to slip sideways.

I It will be seen that all the feet are pivotallymounted on the ring 11 and the entire attachment may be removed from the wheel by merely removing the nuts from the bolts-20., I I l The feet may be made hollowfas shown in the drawings to reduce theirweight.

it will be understood that many mo'd-ifi-c'ations of the shape of the feet, the manner of mounting the feet on the wheel and the form of spring means may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

In the'claims the term automobile means any self propelled vehicle. I

' What I claim is 1. An attachment for automobile wheels comprising a series of members normally cooperating to present a substantially continu'ous circular outer surface, and means for pivotally mounting each of said members, each member having inclined surfaces over which may slide a part of the adjacent member to cause a, simultaneous rocking movement of all the-members on their respective pivots.

2. An attachment for automobile wheels comprising an annular plate, a series of brackets on one side of said plate, and a series of members: having out-ward divergent surfaces pivotallyinounted on said brackets, .each member contacting with the adjacent n'rembers so that a pivotal movement of any one member oausesa similar pivotal move ment of all the members. V

3. An attachment as claimed in claim 1, wherein means are provided for limiting and cushioning the pivotal movement "of said members.

4. An attachment as claimed in claim 2', wherein means are provided for limiting and cushioning the "pivotal movement of said members, said-cushioning means comprising compression springs carried by said members and each adapted to engage and be compressed bythe adjacent member towards the end of its pivotalmovement. "5. An attachment as claimed in claim 2, wherein said members are provided with horizontal laterally projecting trunnions mounted sli'dably in radial slots in said i brackets, springs being provided to mainembrace the spokes of the Wheels to Which tain said trunnions normally at the outer the attachment is applicable, angular plates ends of said slots. coacting With said channels to embrace the 1 6. An attachment as claimed in claim 2, spokes and means for detachably connecting 5 wherein are provided radial channels on said said angular plate to the annular plate.

annular plates on the side remote from the In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. brackets, said channels being positioned to JAMES VINT LAUGHLAND. 

